Seminar Description

Swahili is the lingua franca of Africa, widely spoken by 170 million people in Eastern and Central Africa - from Mogadishu in Somalia to Maputo in Mozambique, and to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire). Others speak it as a second language, not only in these three countries but also in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique and even Saudi Arabia. Swahili is a gateway to understanding between Africa and the rest of the world and extremely useful on your next SAFARI. Students will be introduced to the cultures and life of East African people through dialogue and stories. As a foreign learner, you will need to use Swahili for daily activities, getting about and for social contact. And perhaps when on a research field trip to Africa, your local support team will be able to communicate with you better for faster results.

Note: We offer personalized extra lessons to students taking Swahili language as a credit course at all levels.

Course Outline/Syllabus for Swahili for Beginners

Week 1: Introduction to African Languages
African Ethnic groups and Languages by Regions
The Swahili people and Cultures
History of Kiswahili language

Week 2: Introduction to Swahili Language
Swahili Characters and Alphabet
Reading, Writing and Pronunciation
Punctuation Knowledge

Week 3: Swahili rules of grammar
Swahili Rules of Grammar
Tenses, Plural or Singularity Knowledge

Week 4: Vocabulary
Swahili Vocabulary
Word Translation Memorization
Swahili Sentence Structure and Subject Verb Knowledge

Week 5: Swahili Comprehension and Listening Skills

Week 6
Swahili Conversation and Speaking Skills
Common Phrases for traveller to East Africa
Impact of Swahili language on the African continent